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Burnham 34, Okehampton 17

BURNHAM kept the pressure on league leaders Ivybridge with a 34-17 bonus point victory over Okehampton on Saturday.

Stuart Blake scored twice and there were further scores for Mike Hocking and Tom Chaffey, while Piper added 14 points from the boot.

But they were forced to come from behind as Okehampton opened the scoring on 15 minutes with breakaway try.

Piper got Burnham on the board with a penalty from in front of the posts, before Okehampton scored their second through Tom Powell.

Trailing at half-time, Burnham introduced Elisi Vunipola from the bench and the experienced forward changed the tempo of the home side’s play.

After a succession of stolen lineouts, Stuart Blake scored Burnham’s first try of the afternoon and Mike Hocking rumbled over not long after to bring his side right back into the game.

Okehampton added a penalty, but Burnham were now well and truly in control and demonstrated their dominance with Blake’s second try – as the Burnham pack drove their way over the line.

Piper kicked a second penalty before Chaffey rounded off proceedings with the all important fourth try, as Burnham took five points from the game. Burnham now trail Ivybridge by just two points, but the Devon side have two games in hand.

The sides face each other twice in the space of three days on the April Bank Holiday weekend (April 19 and 21) – a double header that could decide the league title.